We, the Residents of Cambridge, petition the City of Cambridge, and the City Council, to dutifully enforce the city’s health and safety ordinances governing the littering of public spaces: parks, sidewalks, squares, playgrounds, and plazas.
The city is legally bound to implement these ordinances, otherwise the city is acting in contempt of the law, and in disregard for the health and safety of the population they are meant to serve. All residents have the right to demand that these laws be enforced.
The city’s health and safety ordinances relating to litter have not been enforced and will not be enforced unless people bring the problem to the attention of the city government.
8.24.170 - Litter -- Pedestrians on public property.
No person shall throw or deposit litter in or upon any street, sidewalk, square, playground, park or other public place except in authorized public or private litter receptacles.
8.24.230 - Publicity -- Citizen information service.
A. The City shall publicize the provisions of this chapter through the media of signs, advertisements, flyers, leaflets, announcements on radios and television, newspaper articles and through any other appropriate means, so that all citizens will have the opportunity to become informed about the legal duties of property owners and occupants, pedestrians and motorists, and about the City recycling, refuse and anti-litter services.
B. The City shall maintain a citizen information service pertaining to complaints about litter, recycling, reuse, and snow removal problems.
8.24.260 - Violation -- Penalty
A. Criminal Penalty. Any person who violates any section of this chapter shall be subject to a fine not exceeding three hundred dollars. Each day’s violation shall constitute a separate offense.
B. Noncriminal Disposition. Whoever violates any provision of this chapter may be penalized by a noncriminal disposition as provided in G.L. c. 40, paragraph 21D. For purposes of this section, the Commissioner of Public Works shall be the enforcing officer, except that the Commissioner may delegate his enforcing authority to designated Public Works Enforcement Officers and the Commissioner of Inspectional Services and his designees. The penalty for each violation shall not exceed three hundred dollars. Each day’s violation shall constitute a separate violation.
Apparently, the city government has forgotten that the ordinances on its books were written for a reason. The laws are intended to preserve public spaces for those who use these spaces respectfully. Clearly, those individuals who do not respect these ordinances should, by appropriate measures of enforcement, be prevented from their use, and/or prosecuted for their misuse.
By signing this petition, you will be joining others in sending a strong message that states that the littering of our public spaces can, and will, no longer be tolerated.
The city is legally bound to implement these ordinances, otherwise the city is acting in contempt of the law, and in disregard for the health and safety of the population they are meant to serve. All residents have the right to demand that these laws be enforced.
The city’s health and safety ordinances relating to litter have not been enforced and will not be enforced unless people bring the problem to the attention of the city government.
8.24.170 - Litter -- Pedestrians on public property.
No person shall throw or deposit litter in or upon any street, sidewalk, square, playground, park or other public place except in authorized public or private litter receptacles.
8.24.230 - Publicity -- Citizen information service.
A. The City shall publicize the provisions of this chapter through the media of signs, advertisements, flyers, leaflets, announcements on radios and television, newspaper articles and through any other appropriate means, so that all citizens will have the opportunity to become informed about the legal duties of property owners and occupants, pedestrians and motorists, and about the City recycling, refuse and anti-litter services.
B. The City shall maintain a citizen information service pertaining to complaints about litter, recycling, reuse, and snow removal problems.
8.24.260 - Violation -- Penalty
A. Criminal Penalty. Any person who violates any section of this chapter shall be subject to a fine not exceeding three hundred dollars. Each day’s violation shall constitute a separate offense.
B. Noncriminal Disposition. Whoever violates any provision of this chapter may be penalized by a noncriminal disposition as provided in G.L. c. 40, paragraph 21D. For purposes of this section, the Commissioner of Public Works shall be the enforcing officer, except that the Commissioner may delegate his enforcing authority to designated Public Works Enforcement Officers and the Commissioner of Inspectional Services and his designees. The penalty for each violation shall not exceed three hundred dollars. Each day’s violation shall constitute a separate violation.
Apparently, the city government has forgotten that the ordinances on its books were written for a reason. The laws are intended to preserve public spaces for those who use these spaces respectfully. Clearly, those individuals who do not respect these ordinances should, by appropriate measures of enforcement, be prevented from their use, and/or prosecuted for their misuse.
By signing this petition, you will be joining others in sending a strong message that states that the littering of our public spaces can, and will, no longer be tolerated.
